Were election laws violated at certain polling stations in Kosovo today?
Kosovo is holding parliamentary elections today—the first regular elections since 2008. Of the 28 political entities participating, a record six represent the Serb community in Kosovo.
According to the previously determined plan, two municipal buildings in northern Kosovo—one in Zubin Potok and the other in Zvecan—were designated as polling centers for conditional voting. However, these buildings have housed Kosovo Police units, including special forces, since 2023, when they took control of the facilities.
Today, uniformed and armed police officers were observed inside these buildings, standing near voters, as well as outside in the immediate vicinity of other polling stations.
In front of the municipal building in Zvecan, two uniformed officers were spotted, while at least three others were seen inside the building, where voting was taking place. One officer stood in the hallway, approximately 10 meters from the conditional polling station.
Additionally, two officers were stationed outside the IBCM building, near a guardhouse just some 10 meters from the entrance to the building, which serves as a polling center.
Despite this, most officials visiting polling stations in the north throughout the day reported that the voting process was proceeding without incidents.
Milićević: “A Precedent and Departure from Good Practices”
Miodrag Milićević, Director of the NGO „Aktiv,“ highlighted that the relocation of conditional polling centers to municipal buildings marks a significant departure from past practices.
“The decision to change the usual dual voting locations—where both regular and conditional voting could take place—represents a problematic precedent. Moving the polling centers to new, isolated locations where police are physically present is concerning,” said Milićević.
He reminded that police officers are not allowed to be present inside polling stations unless specifically called by the polling station chairman to address security issues.
“Police can only intervene if the safety of the voting process is threatened, but otherwise, the Kosovo Police have no legal right to be inside polling buildings,” he added, urging concerned citizens or observers to file official complaints with the CEC.
Sentić: “I Will File a Complaint with a Recommendation”
Srđan Sentić, Deputy Ombudsman, confirmed that during his visit to the Zvecan municipal building, local officials informed him that the building now serves as a police station.
He stated that this situation would be reported as a problem, accompanied by a recommendation to avoid such scenarios in the future.
“Police must maintain an appropriate distance from polling stations during voting,” Sentić told KoSSev. He added that during an afternoon visit to the polling station in Zubin Potok, only one police officer was present.
In the morning, Sentić had observed regular voting at another polling site in North Mitrovica, reporting no irregularities.
What Does the Law Say?
According to Kosovo’s Law on General Elections, Article 82 specifies that only authorized individuals may be present at polling stations: voters, polling station committee members, CEC staff, municipal election commission members, accredited observers, and police officers called in to restore order.
Article 84 emphasizes that polling station chairpersons are responsible for ensuring a calm and secure voting process inside polling stations. Police intervention is only permitted in the event of serious disturbances, which must be documented in the polling station logbook.
The law also clearly prohibits any armed person from being present at polling stations, except for uniformed Kosovo Police officers on duty. Even then, officers should leave the premises immediately after casting their votes unless summoned to maintain order.
Kosovo Police: No Irregularities Reported
Deputy Commander of the Kosovo Police for the North, Veton Elshani, stated earlier in the day that the voting process was proceeding normally. When asked about the close proximity of police officers to voters, he said he had no information about any irregularities. He suggested that police officers were likely either voting or responding to reports of potential issues.
While revealing that the KP responded to several calls today – “no incidents were registered,” Elshani added.
No Response from the Central Election Commission
Despite multiple attempts to reach the CEC for clarification, no official response was provided by the time of publication. A CEC member declined to comment earlier in the day, citing a media conference. Follow-up calls to the member and spokesperson Valmir Elezi went unanswered, and an email inquiry to the CEC also remained without a response.
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